Chapter 3: RAYA NEWSOME - A Street King's Widow

“Mommy,” Ryleigh tapped on my leg.

“Hol’ on, Ry,” I yelled as I switched shoulders for my phone.

I was running my mouth with my girl Kam. She wanted to know the rundown on the funeral, and I was telling her how I checked the fuck out of Kyenna for not calling me first.

“You know that bitch scary. She always pc’d up like a muthafucka so I can’t get my hands on her. Rah can’t save her ass now. And Shameek ain’t gon’ always be ‘round. I can’t wait to drag that hoe.”

“Mommy,” Ryleigh cried.

“Gawd damn! I said hol’on.”

Now with Rah gone, I didn’t even want to be a damn mama anymore. It wasn’t that the King’s wouldn’t take care of her. It was because I was no longer connected to Rah, and my connections to getting into certain places and doing certain things died with his stupid ass.

“Girl, tend to your daughter. I’ll call you back.”

“Aight, girl,” I said, hanging up.

“What is it, Ryleigh?”

“Can I have some of these?”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

She did all that for a bag of damn chips. I swear children didn’t give a fuck what you had going on. There were bills piled the fuck up on my countertop. Rah didn’t fuck with me, but he made sure where Ryleigh slept was taken care of. Some bills he paid himself; others he gave me the money for. I looked at the Chanel bag sitting on the sofa and shook my head. I was spending that money on designer shit. Now I was sitting here trying to figure out how I was going to pay these bills. Deep down, I knew I could tuck my tail and go to Shameek or Mr. Rod.

I didn’t have the energy to explain why I was behind on some of my bills, and Rah had only been in the ground a few days. Shit, I never thought his dumb ass was going to die this soon. I thought I had time to stack some money. Grabbing my phone, I opened my banking app. The minus sign in front of the number caved my chest in. I refreshed my screen because I had a check that should have deposited. Only to find the bitch was deposited but used to cover some of the balance. Kyenna came to mind. She was sitting her ass up in that house. Got all his cars in that garage, and I was over here in a condo that I was about to lose.

My phone chimed with an email. It was from a law firm letting me know that I had an appointment for the reading of the will of Rahmelo King. I smiled, just thinking that he made sure me and Ryleigh were straight by putting us in his will. Maybe he left us some money. If he did, I promise I was going to catch up on all my bills. This would be my second chance, and I wasn’t going to fuck it up. There was no way I could go back to working after having a rich nigga’s baby.

My mind drifted to the day before Rah died. He called and asked to talk to Ryleigh. He had fussed and thought that she needed her own phone just so he didn’t have to deal with me. I disagreed. Her three-year-old ass did not need a phone. After going back and forth, I gave her the phone and let them do their thing. Her behind would occasionally walk off, and I would be right behind her trying to see what they were talking about.  

“Daddy, when you coming to get me?” Ryleigh asked him. 

“I’ll come get you this weekend, princess. We gon’ get some ice cream and go build a bear.” 

“You pwomise?”

“I promise.”

She handed me the phone with the biggest smile on her face and ran off. 

“I swear you would think she doesn’t see you.” 

“I kno’.”

There was a pause before he cleared his throat. 

“Ray…”

“What?”

“We need to talk.” 

I didn’t like the way he sounded. 

“What now? Your wife complaining or something?” 

“Stop bringin’ my fuckin’ wife up. You’re the least of her concern. Are we understood?” 

“Yeah, Rah,” I said, rolling my eyes. 

It was always my wife. I got sick of hearing the shit, if I was being honest.  

“I need you to find you somethin’ to do.” 

“Fuck does that mean?” 

“It means that I’m ‘bouta be done carryin’ you. Averie got her own shit…” 

“What the fuck is Kyenna doing besides sitting on her ass?” I cut him off. 

“I swear you the hardest muthafucka to talk to, dawg. I don’t kno’ what the fuck I was thinkin’ givin’ you some dick.” 

“Answer the question. Is your wife on a damn budget?” 

“My wife ain’t gotta worry ‘bouta budget ‘cause she’s the reason we’re eating the way we are. You too fuckin’ dumb to see that. The hate in yo’ blood keeps yo’ eyes blind.”

“What you want me to do, Rah?” 

“Go to school or get a damn job.” 

“Get a job,” I laughed. “You’re rich as fuck, and you want me to work. Please!” 

“I didn’t call to argue with you.” 

“But that’s what you do every time you fucking call.” 

“Yo’ condo, Ryleigh’s tuition, health insurance, food, and yo’ car note be paid out of my account. You always callin’ for extra shit.” 

“Aight, Rah.”

Neither of us said goodbye. We just ended the call. And just like that, the tears started to fall. Had I listened to him that day, he was warning me. All those deposits for my rent at the condo were spent on material shit just so I could keep up with Kyenna and Averie. Now that he was dead, I thought he was crazy for saying I needed to go to school or find a job. Now it was making sense. I wiped my tears as my phone pinged. It was an email from a law office letting me know I was invited to the reading of the will of Rah’s estate. All of a sudden, my feelings were no longer hurt. I just knew this nigga left his daughter something. I rushed to call Kam back. Now that Ryleigh wasn’t bothering me.

“Hey,” she answered the phone.

“Girl, guess what?”

“Raya, what girl? You always got some shit going on.”

“I just got an email for the reading of Rah’s will. Here I was stressing and crying. I knew he wasn’t gonna leave us like that. We didn’t see eye to eye, but he made sure his daughter was taken care of.”

“And you excited like he leaving you something.”

“Damn, bitch! Get that hate outta blood.”

“It’s not hate. It’s truth, and we both know you hate that shit. Which is why you’re stuck with a three-year-old now. I told you that nigga was never going to leave his wife for you. Look what happened.”

“You bouta piss me off.”

“And I don’t give a fuck. You better go in that meeting not expecting nothing. If anything, he left it for Ryleigh when she’s old enough to touch it.”

“How would your broke ass know ‘bout rich folks’ business?”

Kam laughed, “Unlike you, I have a decent job. If that’s broke to you, then you got life fucked up. I’m not crying and trying to figure out how to pay my bills bitch. And since we on this topic, don’t bring your ass to my house needing a place to lay your head.”

“Girl fuck you,” I said, hanging up.

That was the way Kam and our friendship had been since we were teenagers. Everyone that knew us, knew not to get in our shit when we get to arguing. We only stayed mad for a few hours before we were back in each other’s face laughing and gossiping. She was right, though. When I first met Rah, he was with Shameek at a club celebrating. He had his ring on that night. If I remember clearly, Shameek had told him not to fuck with me while he was drunk. Rah told him that Kyenna and him were going through it and might not make it. Shit, all I heard was that he was single.

Shameek didn’t let him come home with me that night. We did sneak and exchange numbers. Granted, Rah was intoxicated and stumbling when Shameek pulled him out of the club. It was almost a week later when he sent the first text for me to meet his ass. I dropped everything I was doing to go and be with him. We spent the day together, with no sex. I thought the nigga was being a little too soft. Because who could resist a woman like me? That was before I put eyes on Kyenna. Never knew who the bitch was because he had her so put up.

Everyone in the city knew who the King’s were. After I had slept with Rah a few times, I finally saw him and Kyenna together at a celebrity basketball game. Being the woman I was, I was ready to approach her and let her know the nigga she married wasn’t shit. That day never happened because Shameek grabbed me by my hair and threatened my life. That was the last time I ever saw Kyenna. I wasn’t sure what Shameek told Rah, but that nigga cut me off immediately. No more text messages, deposits, or gifts. Weeks later, I found out I was pregnant and tried reaching out. He had changed his number on me.

I went through the whole pregnancy alone with the help of Kam. She told my stupid ass at the beginning not to have the baby. To me, I looked at my baby as a monthly deposit and endless trips. Being connected to Rahmelo King for the rest of our child’s life was all I saw. Right after I had her, I popped up at Royal Flush with our daughter. I showed my ass so bad that he had no choice but to come and talk to me or take the chance of being embarrassed in front of his high-profile clients. We had an agreement that he would send weekly deposits, and I would keep my mouth closed. He kept his end of the deal.

When Ryleigh was about a month old, he popped up at my door with bags. The nigga face was scratched up, and his lip was busted. His conscience was eating at him and he told his wife. Kyenna beat his ass and put him out. I was excited that he thought enough of me to stay with me. Ask me how long that shit lasted? Two fucking days. The nigga was sick. All he talked about was his wife and how he wished he never met me. Still, I felt privileged to have the nigga. His ass left in the middle of the night going into day three and moved into one of Shameek’s spots. I still tried to make it work, but he was giving the cold shoulder and only wanting to talk about Ryleigh. Months later, Kam told me that she saw Rah with his wife at a restaurant. He didn’t have the balls to tell me he was going back to his wife. I hate more hated for her than I did him.

I pulled up to the lawyer’s office with my finest shit on. Knowing that Kyenna’s ass was going to be here, there was no way I was walking in there looking a mess. My hair was laid, and my lashes and nails were fresh. I hated to bring Ryleigh with me but Kam had to work, so I had to drag her with me. My heart started beating when I noticed Rah’s cocaine white Wraith. Then the four other black trucks let me know the whole family was here. Kyenna must’ve been driving Rah’s car. Grabbing Ryleigh’s hand, we walked in and were escorted into the conference room where everyone was waiting on me to arrive.

Everyone’s eyes were on me as I took a seat next to Averie. We never really had an open beef, but everyone knew it was something there. She was before my time, so I had no idea what her issue was with me. Shameek blew a kiss at Ryleigh and just stared at me like I didn’t belong there. He never liked me. He tolerated me because of his brother. Shameek blamed me for breaking up Rah and Kyenna’s marriage. Shit, it was that nigga fault too.

“Now that we have everyone here. We can proceed,” the lawyer said, adjusting his glasses. “My name is Lloyd, and I’ve represented Mr. Rahmelo King for several years. Before we begin, I’d like to offer my condolences to the King family and everyone Mr. King loved.”

Ryleigh jumped from my lap and ran to the other side of the table where Kyenna was. Kyenna didn’t hesitate to pick her up and hug her. A sting of jealousy hit me. Even a blind muthafucka could tell my daughter loved her and Kyenna loved my daughter back. My eye cut over at Shameek and he was watching me like a hawk. Mr. Rod was looking and them smiling. I wasn’t surprised to see Jaharee, and Ms. Lorriane wasn’t here. I knew the men were here to protect Kyenna.

“Per Mr. King’s request, I’d like to begin with the children.”

I crossed my legs and smiled. This was my moment and I couldn’t wait to see Kyenna’s skin turn a shade darker. I knew my baby was first. Lloyd opened the folder.

“To my son, Kaiden King, and my daughters, Khari King and Ryleigh Newsome…” He paused. “Each child has an irrevocable trust established in their name.”

I looked at Averie and she looked at me.

“The trust shall remain inaccessible until each child reaches the age of twenty-five unless funds are approved beforehand for education, medical emergencies, or purchases of a primary residence.”

Did he just say twenty-five? The fuck was Rah thinking about? Our daughter was three years old.

“Each trust has been funded in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars.”

I almost choked. Shit, I would’ve settled for fifty stacks.

“In addition, college tuition, books, housing, and approved educational expenses shall be paid in full directly from the estate.”

Averie was happy, obviously from the smile on her face. She was an educated bitch, so of course she was worried about her children going to college.

“As it pertains to child support. Monthly deposits shall continue to be made for the benefit of Kaiden, Khari, and Ryleigh until each child reaches the age of eighteen.”

Now I could sit back and smile. All I heard was my bills were paid. A bitch was satisfied. I couldn’t wait to call Kam’s ass and tell her she was wrong about my baby daddy.

“However,” the lawyer looked at me. “Before any distributions are made on behalf of Miss Ryleigh Newsome. Mr. King requested that a court-admissible DNA test be completed confirming paternity.”

“What?” The word flew out before I could control it.

“This was Mr. King’s written instruction.”

“So, he questioned my daughter?”

“No.”

“So, why the fuck are we doing this?”

“It states here that the request was not made because he doubted Miss Ryleigh. It was made because he wanted to protect all parties from future legal disputes.”

“Bull fuckin’ shit!” I slammed my hands down on the table. “That bitch made him put that in there.”

“Girl, you give me way too much credit,” Kyenna said.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means…I didn’t know anything about my husband’s will.”

“Liar.”

“What I got to lie to you for?” She laughed.

“You always thought you were better than everyone.”

She kissed Ryleigh on her cheek and let her down to walk back to me.

“Nah, I just knew I was his wife.”

“Aight.” I grabbed Ryleigh’s hand. “We’ll do the test.”

Lloyd nodded. “Once paternity is legally confirmed, all past monthly support owed since Mr. King’s passing shall be released in one lump sum, and regular deposits will resume.”

I sat back down and placed Ryleigh in my lap. At least I wasn’t leaving empty-handed. Lloyd continued.

“To Ms. Averie Johnson…”

Averie sat up in her seat when she heard her name. Fucking bitch.

“For years of sacrifice while Mr. King established his business. Mr. King requested your mortgage be paid in full immediately. He further directs that a monthly stipend be for a nanny. This way you don’t have to choose between work and your children.”

I looked over at her ass crying, and rolled my eyes.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“The remainder of Mr. King’s estate goes as follows. All residential properties, commercial real estate, his vehicle collection, all offshore investment accounts, his ownership interest in The Royal Flush Social Club.”

Now everyone was sitting at attention. Shameek and Mr. Rod looked at each other.

“A long with operating accounts, business assets, trademarks, gaming licenses, and future profits associated with the establishment, go to Mrs. Kyenna King. Effective immediately, you are the sole owner and acting managing member of The Royal Flush,” Lloyd finished.

The fuck?” I shot up from my chair with Ryleigh clinging to me. “She got every muthafuckin’ thang.”

“What you thought, Ms. Newsome,” Kyenna said, with a smile.